Pedestrian Hit on Sherman Way in Van Nuys: Your Rights
Sherman Way is one of the most dangerous east-west streets in the San Fernando Valley for pedestrians. Running through the heart of Van Nuys, this wide, fast-moving road connects residential neighborhoods, commercial districts, bus routes, and the 405 Freeway. People walk along and across Sherman Way every day to get to work, catch the bus, visit businesses, and move through the neighborhood. But the road was not built with their safety in mind, and pedestrian accidents here are far too common.
If you were hit by a vehicle on Sherman Way in Van Nuys, this article explains your legal rights and the steps you should take to protect yourself.
Why Sherman Way Is So Dangerous for Pedestrians
Sherman Way is a divided, multi-lane road with a posted speed limit of 35 mph in most of the Van Nuys stretch. In practice, vehicles regularly travel at 40 to 45 mph. The road is wide, which gives pedestrians a long distance to cover when crossing. The lanes are wide, which encourages faster driving. And the signal timing at many intersections does not give slower pedestrians, including elderly residents and people with disabilities, enough time to complete their crossing before the signal changes.
The intersection of Sherman Way and Van Nuys Blvd is particularly hazardous. This is one of the busiest intersections in the area, with high vehicle volumes in all directions and heavy pedestrian traffic from the surrounding commercial district. Right-turning vehicles frequently fail to check for pedestrians in the crosswalk. Left-turning vehicles focus on finding gaps in oncoming traffic and lose track of pedestrians who have entered the crosswalk with the signal.
Bus stops along Sherman Way create additional risks. Metro operates several routes along this corridor, and riders must cross Sherman Way to reach stops on both sides of the street. Pedestrians crossing to or from bus stops are sometimes forced to cross mid-block when the nearest crosswalk is too far away, exposing them to traffic that is not expecting a pedestrian in the roadway.
Near the 405 Freeway interchange, Sherman Way becomes even more dangerous. Drivers entering and exiting the freeway are accelerating, decelerating, and focused on merging. Pedestrians crossing ramp intersections are an afterthought in a road design that prioritizes vehicle throughput over pedestrian safety.
Common Injuries When Pedestrians Are Hit on Sherman Way
At the speeds vehicles travel on Sherman Way, pedestrian injuries are almost always serious. The most common injuries include broken legs, hips, and pelvis from the initial vehicle impact. Traumatic brain injuries from striking the hood, windshield, or pavement. Spinal cord injuries that can cause partial or complete paralysis. Internal organ damage from blunt force trauma. Deep lacerations and road rash from being thrown to the ground. Wrist and arm fractures from bracing against impact.
Victims are typically transported to Valley Presbyterian Hospital on Vanowen Street, which is located less than a mile south of Sherman Way. Emergency care, trauma surgery, and initial stabilization often generate bills of $50,000 or more within the first few days. Ongoing treatment, including additional surgeries, physical therapy, occupational therapy, and neurological rehabilitation, can extend for months or years.
Your Legal Rights After Being Hit on Sherman Way
If you were struck by a vehicle on Sherman Way, you have the right to pursue compensation from every party whose negligence caused or contributed to your injuries. This includes the driver who hit you. It may also include the driver's employer if they were operating a commercial vehicle. And it may include the City of Los Angeles if dangerous road design, inadequate crosswalk maintenance, poor lighting, or insufficient signal timing contributed to the crash.
California Vehicle Code Section 21950 requires drivers to yield to pedestrians in crosswalks. A driver who fails to yield and strikes a pedestrian is negligent per se. Even if you were not in a marked crosswalk, drivers have a general duty to exercise due care to avoid hitting pedestrians. The insurance company will try to argue that you were at fault for crossing outside a crosswalk or against a signal, but California's comparative fault system allows you to recover damages even if you share some responsibility for the accident.
Steps to Protect Your Claim
Call 911 and get the crash documented. LAPD handles pedestrian accidents on Sherman Way. A police report creates an official record of the incident, including the officer's assessment of the primary collision factor and any traffic violations by the driver.
Seek immediate medical treatment. Go to Valley Presbyterian Hospital or have the ambulance transport you. A same-day medical evaluation is essential. It documents your injuries at the time of the accident, which prevents the insurance company from arguing that your injuries were pre-existing or caused by something else.
Photograph everything. If your injuries allow it, take photos of the accident scene, the vehicle that hit you, the crosswalk or crossing location, traffic signals, and your injuries. These photos are evidence.
Get witness information. If bystanders saw the crash, ask for their names and phone numbers. Witness testimony can be decisive in establishing liability, especially when the driver claims you appeared suddenly or were not in the crosswalk.
Do not talk to the driver's insurance company. They will call. They will be polite. They will ask you to describe what happened and how you feel. Everything you say becomes part of your claim file and will be used to minimize your compensation. Tell them your attorney will contact them.
Contact an attorney immediately. Traffic camera footage from Sherman Way intersections is overwritten on a regular cycle, often within days. Witness contact information becomes impossible to track down quickly. Your attorney can issue preservation letters to the City of Los Angeles for camera footage and begin building your case before evidence is lost.
Compensation Available to Injured Pedestrians
Pedestrians hit on Sherman Way can recover compensation for emergency medical treatment, hospitalization, surgery, physical therapy, and ongoing rehabilitation. Lost wages and lost earning capacity if injuries prevent you from returning to your previous work. Future medical expenses for treatment that will be needed months or years down the road. Pain and suffering, which includes physical pain, emotional trauma, anxiety about walking near traffic, loss of independence, and the overall impact on your quality of life.
The Van Nuys Courthouse on Sylmar Ave handles civil cases from this area. Pedestrian accident cases that are properly documented and litigated consistently produce significant recoveries. The severity of pedestrian injuries, combined with the strong duty of care that California law imposes on drivers, makes these among the strongest personal injury cases when properly presented.
Do Not Wait to Take Action
Every day that passes after a pedestrian accident on Sherman Way is a day that evidence degrades, witnesses become harder to find, and the insurance company's position strengthens. You deserve representation that matches the seriousness of what happened to you.
A Van Nuys pedestrian accident lawyer can investigate the crash, deal with the insurance company, and fight for the full compensation you are owed. The consultation is free, and you pay nothing unless we recover for you.
Contact our Van Nuys personal injury team today. Tell us what happened, and we will tell you what your options are.
Injured in Van Nuys? Talk to a local attorney, no fee unless we win.
Learn about our Van Nuys personal injury services →
Talk to a senior attorney directly.
